The Roman Road, Part 5: Held

We are sinners saved and sent to share the salvation story.

The first four articles in this six article series mostly focused on the saved portion of the subtitle.

We’ve walked through the power of the gospel, which is the good news of salvation through Jesus as a way to remind and re-preach the greatest story ever told to a room of people who are primarily believers.

I want you to know, saved is not the end of the story.

Sent to Share the Salvation Story

The final aspect of the Roman Road to salvation turns the table towards life after salvation.The result of salvation.

The peace we have with God and the confidence we can have that he will hold us to the end, and next week Kinsley will talk about how we are equipped and sent as we say thank you and goodbye to this location and look forward to the work God will do in the years to come.

Romans 5:1 is our main scripture today:

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

Illustration:Night of worship, preaching, teaching, fellowshipping, praying, greeting.Grab bag, lock the door, car, drive to Sheetz for gas, and decide I want a cold pop for the drive home, inside the store a man pulls a gun and starts shooting, and right before I’m shot and killed I say a swear word and take God’s name in vain.

I have a question: How do I know that God will hold me to the end even if I sin again?

If I finish preaching a message at church and head over to Sheetz, decide I want a cold pop for the drive home and step inside the store to a man who pulls a gun and starts shooting. Right before I’m shot and killed I say a swear word and take God’s name in vain. What happens to my soul?

Those who are saved are justified by faith and have an unshakeable hope in life and death, know they ARE saved and ARE BEING saved and WILL BE saved on the day of judgement.

My hope is you will come out of tonight with peace and confidence that the God who set your salvation in motion is faithful to see it through.

And we’ve got to shed this idea that our souls are constantly sliding in and out of salvation based on behavior.

Held by Truth

If I were to take a poll of all the Christians in Punxsy of our biggest doubts and fears, I respectfully assume assurance of salvation would either top the list or come close to topping the list.

That to some degree, in some variation of phraseology, in some style of how each person talks, most people would want to know how they can know for sure they are saved.

Assurance meaning confidently believing that since you placed your trust in Jesus he is securely holding you in his hands.

Often we think if we don’t ‘feel’ saved then we’re not saved today, that if I’m good God loves me and if I’m bad God does not love me.

The truth is we are saved by facts not feelings.

When people don’t have assurance, we should always begin by sharing the gospel to be sure they have truly trusted in Christ.Lots of people say they’re Christians, but often that’s not based on Biblical truths.And like we talked about last week they’ve not given their hearts to God.

Once this is confirmed, then we can look at other matters of assurance.

Let me give you a few reasons people lack assurance of salvation.I don’t normally preach with lists, but they are helpful to use at times.

1.People often lack assurance because they can’t remember a specific moment of salvation.

Some doubt or wonder if they were ever really saved.There is a specific point when salvation occurs when you are born of the spirit.The issue is do you now really trust in the work of Jesus.

2.People often lack assurance because they question the procedure they went through for salvation.

If people are saved in private they may wonder if it should have been a public confession or prayed differently.

3.People often lack assurance because they struggle with sin.

They wonder if a true believer would have these problems, but the real problem is ignorance of man’s sinful nature, the spiritual warfare we are in, and the need to grow and mature in our faith.

4.People often lack assurance due to misunderstanding the finished work of Christ.

This is a failure to understand the Word of God and it’s teaching regarding God’s perfect plan of salvation and the sufficiency of the work of Christ.

5.People often lack assurance because they’ve been taught to look to themselves and their works and behavior as the primary proof of salvation.

This is a major issue today.Evidence is to be in the word of God and the Holy Spirit’s transforming work, not our own.Our fruits are proof to others but not primary proof of our hearts with God because by that rationale we are also unsaved.

God Saved You, Not You

None of these are uncommon and many may resonate with you.The problem we make with many of these is we put the power of salvation on us instead of relying completely on God.

You know that you can’t you spend more time with you than anyone else in this room so you know the truth of what’s in your mind and heart.You know that if we’d broadcast all your thoughts on this screen you’d be ashamed and embarrassed and quickly walk out.

Even for the believer.That’s why our scripture today says that ‘through Jesus we have faith and grace and peace and standing before God.’

I once attended a Christian conference and the speaker told everyone that he has no fear in death.None.Not a second of question of what would happen when he died.He knew he was in God’s arms and would be all the way to heaven.

He had so much assurance that even as a Christian sitting their listening I envied his confidence.

Where does he get it and where to we get our basis for assurance?Not in works, not in behavior, but in the word of God and his promises.

I’m going to give you four quick foundations of assurance from the word of God.

1.Eternal life.

John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

2.Forgiveness of all sin.

Colossians 2:13 “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,”

3.Freedom from condemnation.

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

4.Declared righteous by God.

Romans 5:1 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We need to get our eyes off ourselves and onto God.He’s the done the work.

How do I know that God will hold me to the end even if I sin again?

The born-again Christian has peace that God’s saving power will hold them in their life and death.From now all the way to the end.